NaNoWriMo #3 – Formatting Time

I was more interested in editing today. You look at what I’ve got written and it’s seven pages of nothing but lengthy paragraphs. I don’t expect middle schoolers to dive right into that.

Here’s the conversation I had with my 11yr old test subject this morning (my daughter):

Me: Did you read the latest version?

Her: I did.

Me: What did you think, did you like it?

Her: I did like it. It’s good.

Me: What should I change?

Her: Nothing.

Me: Seriously, it won’t hurt my feelings, there’s got to be things that I can change to make it better.

Her: No, really, nothing. It’s good. Don’t change it.

Me: Really? Nothing?

Her: ….wellllll……who is Gertrude?

Me: … ummm…..err……QUEEN Gertrude? Hamlet’s MOTHER?

Her: Ohhhhhhh!

Me: That’s in the second sentence!

Her: Well I didn’t get it!

Me: You just said it was good it was good don’t change a thing!

<later, in front of the computer>

Me: I used the word Gertrude 11 times. I used the word mother 11 times. I’m not sure where it got confusing.

Her: Yeah but you never said mother Gertrude together!

Me: You mean other than here in the second sentence where I wrote Hamlet’s mother Gertrude?

Her: There should be a comma there.

Me: What?

Her: After mother. Hamlet’s mother, comma, Gertrude.

Me: That’s not the point!

Tonight we’re visiting friends, who have a daughter my own daughter’s age who is also into theatre. The whole family is extraordinarily well-read but admittedly weak in Shakespeare. They also know I’m doing this project. I will almost certainly bring them a copy.